Content Changes

Before the release of any Grand Theft Auto game, there were features that were removed from the final product. These changes range from deleted vehicles and player skins to the removal of entire characters and mission strands.

Grand Theft Auto III

Claude's appearance went through many different designs. Some screenshots show a poorly detailed Claude, who looks completely different from the final version. Other pictures show a more final Claude with different hair and a chubbier appearance.

Originally, when doing Vigilante, Paramedic, or Firefighter missions, the vehicles radio could go out of range - requiring the player to drive closer to the nearest police station/hospital/fire station.

A mission where you need to bomb a school bus full of children was cut due the violence and gore. (?)

City

The Old School Hall changed appearance. It previously looked newer and lit up.

Punk Noodles was originally just with a small grass park with two statues. The statue model still exists in the game's files.

The ability to name the character, much like in Grand Theft Auto, was cut. An unused line of text reads "[DEFNAM] Claude----------------------" - interestingly, this confirms that the protagonist’s name is Claude.

Unused lines of text within the game's text files contain phrases, such as "You're perfectly healthy, get out of here!" and "I'll just fix you up". These lines of text seem to imply that the game's hospitals were, originally, accessible/usable.

The "Busted!" text and target arrows were originally red instead of blue.

There was also a bus company named Jelly Tours.

The song "Back to the Streets", was deleted out of the track with no explanation.

There is a model and textures for an AK-47 in the game files. However, it has never appeared in any of the screen shots or trailers for the game. What some fans claim to be an AK-47 in one of the trailers, is actually the Ruger with its brown texture from the PS2 version of the game.

There was going to be an additional outfit called "MC Tommy," but it was taken out. It was originally a brown biker jacket that could be found in Howlin' Petes Biker Emporium

The Haitian gangster who wears the blue shirt used to have a picture on the shirt instead of the word "Relax". [12]

There was once a blond haired prostitute with pigtails and a red skirt. She was supposed to appear around the streets of the downtown area, and dance in the Malibu Club as shown in several trailers.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Out of all the Grand Theft Auto games, San Andreas may have had the most changes before release. For the first and only time in the series, there were animals in the game, the player was able to have uncensored sex, drink, and do drugs. There were many interiors that were left unused, though many remain in the game files. There were a considerable amount of missions cut, as well as numerous weapons, vehicles and character models.

The Easter Naval Base had a different outline, it had a dock and the ship is missing.

San Andreas was much bigger and had several different land masses, such as a larger San Fierro (which resembled San Francisco more closely), A full beta map of San Andreas can be found on a wall in the Lil' Probe'Inn.

Las Venturas had a different name by the initials "LG". In early screen shots of Las Venturas, Police Cars had the initials "LG" printed on their doors. One can only assume what "LG" stood for.

Santa Flora Medical Center had 2 helipads on its roof. These pads were most likely meant for the Maverick and Raindance that spawn there in the alpha. Oddly enough, these helipads were absent in the alpha, so the choppers simply spawned on the roof.

The Clown's Pocket Casino was originally called The Ringmaster, its original name can still be seen on the paper map included inside the game box.

Hardware Stores was originally included in-games, and you can buy tools (like in Vice City).

Pharmacies from Vice City was originally included in-games were you can buy health and adrenaline.

Weapons

The Skateboard was cut from the final game (its icon is still on the disk, and it can still be used but only as a weapon).

Strategy guides and other prints speak of a Gun Cane available alongside the Cane. The Gun Cane does not appear anywhere in the game.

The Parachute was originally smaller and blue (it can be seen in the demonstration video in Flight School showing how to control parachute).

Accorded to some early preview of the games, 150 weapons where originally included in-game.

A another rocket-launcher called "M47 dragon" was cut, the files of exist can be found in the PS2 version only.

A sniper rifle named "M82" was cut.

The grenade launcher was cut again.

Two machine guns named "M249 SAW" and "M60" was cut, the files of exist can be found in the PS2 version only.

The Micro-SMG was removed, the weapons can be seen in early screenshot of the games.

Others

Animals that would roam the rural areas were cut. (Their models are still available in the game's files, albeit without AI present).

Originally, there were over 300 gang territories to be taken over all over the map.

The ability to create and run your own casino was taken out after the alpha version.

Carl Johnson would be able to use drugs, which would make the camera wobble around making it more difficult to control CJ.

The ability to drink beer was cut from the alpha version

Through the hidden interiors universe unused Brothels can be found, these were most likely to be placed on top of Strip Clubs.

Pre-release magazine articles showed that stealing cars was to be much more difficult. In early screen shots, car jacking was shown to involve smashing the car's window and then hot wiring it. This was all removed, possibly due to the limitations posed by the PS2. A similar system is present in GTAIV.

The ability to rob stores (like in GTA: Vice City) such as 24/7 was removed.

Early map showing Beta Liberty City in GTA IV. Notice the extra space in Northeast Alderney, and the third runway at Francis International Airport

Some areas named Anger Bay, Norfolk, Jefferson Heights, Acter Bay, Richmond and Frogtown were cut. Two areas called Hedgebury and Goatherd can be seen on roadsigns on the Broker-Dukes Expressway. It is likely that they are two more cut neighborhoods, or they could be beta names of the neighborhoods that are where Hedgebury and Goatherd supposedly lead to.

The setting of the game was originally going to be Liberty State, rather than just Liberty City, and it would have included countryside surrounding Liberty City, mountains based on the Adirondaks and Catskills [5], and possibly The Caraways.

A street called Liberation St was either cut or renamed.

Clothing

Fingerless gloves were probably available during game play. Pre-release screen-shots and videos of the PC version also show Niko with fingerless gloves but were still not available in the game. They still however can be found in the game files.

In an early preview, Little Jacob would sell a rocket launcher to Niko. It was originally attached to the underside of his car.

Soundtrack

As mentioned in early previews or heard in trailers there were several songs that were removed from the final version:

Burn it all Down - VHS or Beta

Downtown Swinger - MOP

Cocaine - Humble Pie

Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani

How About Some Hardcore - MOP

Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley & The Wailers

Restless - UNKLE (feat. Josh Homme)

They Say Vision - Res

Junior Kirkstart - The Go! Team

Shit it Real - Fat Joe

Sucker M.C.s - Run-D.M.C.

Others

The first removed haircut design for Niko was a cut that seemed to resemble helmet-hair.

The second removed haircut design for Niko was a buzz cut.

The Well Stacked Pizza Co. was originally meant to return but removed before release. Outside Pizza This, the employees are still seen sporting the logo and some with "Well Stacked Pizza Co." on the back of their shirts. This may also indicate that this once once the original location for one of the stores.

Pedestrians were to carry planks. A model is still present in the game files.

According to early in-game previews, a city bus service was available for Niko to use, with a bus schedule popping up after walking to a bus stop. A bus driver character model is also found in the in-game files. Occasionally, an operating bus with the driver will be seen exiting the runway roads of Francis International Airport, however, if the player attempts to get in, the driver is 'pulled' from the bus.